Looks like June is going to be an exciting month as the show entitled "Top Class: The Rise to P-POP Stardom" starts airing on KUMU and TV5. Miss Universe Catriona Gray will be hosting the show together with Albie Casino and Yukii Takahashi who will be doing co-hosting duties and the online segment of the show.
Contestants were picked from thousands who auditioned for the show and to choose the right one for the job, they've got world class mentors KZ Tandingan, Shanti Dope and Brian Puspos who will be doing training for Singing, Rap and Dance in this promising reality show.
Only 30 talented male trainees will become finalists and Filipinos will be in the front seat to see who among these aspirants deserve the top spot as they battle it out to become P-POP's best offering to the world stage.
You may follow them on TOP CLASS' official social channels like Facebook, IG, Twitter, TikTok and KUMU. They will be holding classes at NU Laguna, and it'll be epic when they announce the names of those who qualified for the epic show. This is produced by Kumu, TV5, Cignal Entertainment and Cornerstone Entertainment so you can only expect the best to happen on Philippine TV.
Who will be the next P-POP rising star? Ooh I can't wait to see who wins!
I was excited, let alone impressed that the girls from CALISTA was having a concert in Araneta Coliseum last April 26, 2022 in Quezon City. I was also glad that Liza, Denise, Anne, Dain, Elle and Olive would finally have their debut as a girl group, they've been working for years just for this... and they deserved that crowd that attended event called "VAX TO NORMAL" which they dedicated to frontliners during the pandemic. The pre-show was good as they started with several talented singers from Tyrone Escalante Artist Management.
Then the show started.
The stage was something off international concerts, I felt that if this is just the introduction of CALISTA to what will happen in the future, they'll surely be a force to be reckoned with in the PPOP and international pop scene. They did their latest single RACE CAR which they launched a month ago.
Yeng Constantino started it with a rock vibe singing a few of her songs including "Chinito" and 'We Will Rock You" which is a cover song from Queen (loved the setup with Calista). Elmo Magalona did a sentimental rap number singing songs of his Dad the late Francis M. Good looking dance prince Kenneth San Jose was a discovery, he was intense and impressed A LOT of people during his bit. I must admit, I'm a fan now of that guy. They brought out CALISTA's knack for performing, these are different genres they are playing with but they definitely making a mark in the first few minutes of the show.
Stars in their own right, Darren Espanto was oozing with appeal as he made strides on the dance floor together with the ladies of Calista. The dance showdown with AC Bonifacio was also exciting, it made me think we've got a really good future ahead of us in terms of artistry because at this age, they're really very spirited dancers. Andrea Brillantes on the other hand was super fun to look at, extra bubbly and even enjoyed the dance number with Calista. She also endorse Leni Robredo by simply showing her outfit to the crowd, it's pink and that's a plus in my books! All in all, we've got a gem in our hands with Calista. They've proved with this concert that the Filipino is indeed world class! I don't know what's going to be next for Calista, but judging from their answers in the short press conference they had after the concert.... they're doing something even bigger in the next few months. I hope you get to follow them on their social channels so you can get to know them even more. They're continuing to inspire more teens to follow their dreams, I want to see them do international festivals and concerts because this one that they did in Araneta needs to be seen elsewhere. If you want to see clips of the concert, head on to my TikTok account, just search @kumagcow.
Here's a clip of their interview after the show!
Congratulations on conquering the Araneta Coliseum CALISTA! I'm sure this is just the start!
Looks like you're going to be treated to a dance off unlike no other as Catriona Gray hosts the search for the next P-POP Icon called TOP CLASS.
This afternoon, we got to talk to Brian Puspos, the dance mentor for the competition. He's a Houston based guy, part of SoReal Cru and Mos Wanted Crew who landed runner up and third in America's Best Dance Crew on its Second and Seventh season. He's a deadly choreographer and worked with the likes of Justin Bieber, Chris Brown and several K-POP acts (oh you know who they are) just to name a few.
Brian says "It means the world to me, being a Filipino American, we've been in the forefront of dance and this program will get Filipinos to reach their dreams. This is what it means for me. Having the discipline to work very very hard, it's what I'm looking for. Working with the KPOP stars, I've seen how hard they work, how much they put into their craft, but Filipinos have a knack to go beyond that. It's special because this is brand new, I'm excited. It's amazing I've seen very talented PPOP groups, I would love to work with my people and hopefully get to see them in the Philippines soon. I'm really grateful for this opportunity. It's given me confidence to work with Chris Brown who saw and reached out a couple times and it was really cool to be commended by megastars commending our work. BTS stood out because I also saw how hard they work, in everything they do, the work ethic is something that I really respect, which I hope to expect with the contestants of Top Class too. Filipinos are some of the best dancers in the world, I hope they continue to learn and grow. For me, I also have much more to learn and I look forward to do that in the dance community in the country. I'll be there in June, I always go there like once a year so I'm pretty familiar with the place. I think I've learned a lot in Texas, the time is now to take the leap and I'm pursuing this. Pour out your heart on stage, think of it as the last thing you'll do every time you do that. If you have insecurities, pick yourself up, get it out of your head, as dance will make you confident."
He adds "My parents were ballroom dancers who compete, I kinda absorbed that trait when I was a kid. I guess I was inspired by them. I've been preparing for this role my whole dance life, I fell that I am ready and credible to be mentoring Top Class, I'm ready to work. Any superstar or celebrity I worked with. Being in a couple reality shows, I've seen how mentors became really good behind the camera. I'm going to be an educator, to make everyone be better. That's what I'm here for."
By the way, today is the last day to submit your audition videos, if you haven't yet please do because this is a big opportunity especially for dance fanatics, if you are part of crews who have been in the Philippine contest scene for a long time.
This show is brought to you by KUMU, CS Entertainment, TV5 and Cignal.
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